Jack Merridew represents anarchy, which leads to regression in society. Jack doesn’t believe in the fire, the conch or providing shelter for the rest of the tribe. Life on the island with Jack is more chaotic than peaceful because Jack doesn’t put the greater good before himself. For example, he turns the majority of his tribe into savage hunting lunatics. He also represents narrow mindedness and ignorance based on how he regresses to a frenzied state, causing the rest of the tribe to mistake Simon for the beast. He also represents egoism; he is worried about himself and what will bring him happiness, and gets angry when people, that is Piggy, Simon, Ralph and the littluns try to get in Jack’s way. He also represents a cold cruel type of person, for he fuels people’s insecurities, thus bringing out the evil in most of the tribe members.
Ralph represents both utilitarianism and democracy. He works to promote the common good in society. This is how he seems to come up with good ideas, one of them being the conch. The blowing of the conch heralds a public meeting. Once the meeting is called, only the person holding the conch has a right to speak. The conch is passed on to others so that everyone gets a chance to speak. Another one of his ideas was to start a fire which was to alert a ship or a plane to come rescue Ralph and his tribe. Ralph, unlike Jack, listens to other people’s advice like Piggy’s, as to how to handle the members of his tribe. Ralph also represents true leadership and he takes an active role in the protection of the tribe. The rescue of Ralph signifies hope for society. His weeping for innocence at the end of the novel is a reminder to us that evil exists in all men and that man needs to admit his faults and try to improve himself.
